Family Guy has survived two cancellations, lawsuits and heaps of controversy to continue airing episodes for 20 years. That's quite the accomplishment, given the show's dark humor and especially notable given today's curent climate of zero-tolerance. On the flip-side,the show has won eight Emmys. That's probably the best way to illustrate the polarizing nature of the Seth McFarlane show - you either love it or hate it.
However, even Family Guy has decided to reign in some of its more controversial subjects, as
executive producer Rich Appel told TV Line in a recent interview.
"It’s almost unique to Family Guy, though I can think of one other show that’s been on the air longer. But if a show has literally been on the air for 20 years, the culture changes. And it’s not us reacting and thinking, “They won’t let us [say certain things].” No, we’ve changed too. The climate is different, the culture is different and our views are different. They’ve been shaped by the reality around us, so I think the show has to shift and evolve in a lot of different ways."